Handlamp-switch



G. D. GALLAGHER.

HANDLAMP SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED1UNEB,1920.

Nov. 1921.

Patented UNITED STA TES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE `ID. -.GrALLAG HER, lF t"W'SIFHN'(SrIfON, DISTRICT WINCHESTERy'Rxlfillg;'IZIING ARMS A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

OF COLUM-Bllk, ASSIGNOR T0 COMPANY, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT,

HAivpLnMP-,swimcm Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Nov. 15, 1921..

Application filed `.Tune .8, 1920. Serial No. 387,278.

i Be it rlmown that I, GEQRGED GALLA- einen, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing` fat V/Vashington, District of Columbia, have inventedvvcertain new and useful Improvements in `Handlamp-Switches; and I dohereby declare the .following t0 be .a vfull, clear', andV exactdescription of the inventOn, .Such will enable others Skilled in theartjfto which it appertains to make and .use the .'Seme. i'

lille .present ,invention relates `t0 battery Lhandglampsof 7the kind inWhhe 'bat-telt .andasmall incandescent lamp are mounted vin va casingtogether with suitable switch mechanism for controlling the Vvflow ofcur- -rent from the battery through the lamp.

The obj ects and g advantages of the present invention will becomeclearfroin the following detaileddescriptiomtaken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, Awherein one embodiment of the presentinvention is .described ,and illustrated.

ln the drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmental, sectional elevation of acomplete handlamp of the flator vest pocket type; Fig. .2 is

a fragmentah longitudinal section showing the switch mechanism closed;Fig. 3 is za Similar View `with vthe switch mechanism in safetyposition; Fig. 4 is a plan .view of v the `,Switch mechanism; Fig. is asectional elevationoll heline 5-5 of 1; Fig. '6v is a Similar sectiononthe line 6 6 of Fig. l; vF ig. 7 shows the slots cut inthe side of themeta`l case; Fig. 8 is a plan view of the housing by which thepush-buttoncontact is moved along thedouble keyhole slot of Fig. 7 ;vFig. 9 is a detail of the leaf spring .Mid thepush-button mountedthereon.

In the embodiment illustrated, the hand lamp comprises ka case 1, whichmay be of metal, and fiat, as shown. At the front end kof this caseandthreaded .thereto isa lamp Q ,the inner terminal 3 of which makescontact with .the longer terminal 4 of a battery 5 positioned within thecase. This brattery basa-short exposedterminal 6 at which Ythe. batterycircuit through the lamp is controlled. One of the rounded edges ocase;1; iscutor punched to form guideways 7 and 8 y (Fig. 7) and a tongueoriinger 9 between these l ,fuideways is severed at its ffront edge 1.0but left integralwith the case atfthe. rear edge, and is pushed downinto e 'rush-button l8- the position shown in Fig. 1 to serve as aresilient battery retaining finger. This 1inger not only 'positions theybattery"within the case, ,but keeps'it from rattling around. There isalso provided a double lzey ,hol-e slot Flg 7) consisting of a largeround .epe/11mg 1l7 alleltroweropenine '12ga Second large y,round.opening 1 3, anda narrow bottomend 14.

Mounted to slidealongcase 1 is a thumbv Ctuated housing 1 5 vhavingintegral tangs 16and 17 forengagement with slots 7 and 8, respectively,and having a round opening near `its'front end inl ywhich is yhousedMounted within {housving ,1 5 and secured thereto v at one end, as

by .a .rivet 19, .is2L leef Spring 20 (Fs- 9)- At the front Q1' free`endoileaf spring 20, is mounted apush-button contact element openings11 and Y13 of the double key' hole `.s lota'nd z.above this is acylindrical portion 2st having a diameter comparable to the narvrowportions 12 andrlt of the key hole slot.

rFhe push-button contact, as above described, and as illustrated in Fig.1, is movable by vthumb pressure on button 18 into and4 out ofcontact-making engagevmentiwith the exposed terminal `6 of the batteryto control the flow of current from `battery 5through lamp 2, but thesliding movement of the housing and the coperation 'of the double keyhole slot with the enlargement '23 on the push-button stud,

.effect new and desirable results, as hereinafter explainedmore ,indetail.

VWith the switch mechanism positioned asin Fig; 1, the enlargement 23 ofthe pushbutton contact rests in the enlargement 13 (Fig. 7) of the keyhole slot, and

the resiliency of spring 2O holds the button in its outer position. Inthis position the push-buttonv contact is not in engagement with theexposed battery terminal 6, but by thumb pressure on button 18 can being engagement with pushed into engagement with that terminal as formomentary flashing of the lamp in signaling. If continued burning of thelamp is desired, the operator first depresses the push-button to moveenlargement 23 out of locking engagement with opening 13 of the key holeslot, and then with his thumb pulls back on the housing to slide itbackward along the case, thereby moving the stud into the narrowed endportion 14 of the double'key hole slot, and at the Sametime bringing thestud into continui battery terminal 6. Then, if the push-button bereleased by removal of the thumb, the lamp will continue to burn withenlargement 23. frictionally Vengaging the innerV face of the caseimmediately adjacent t0 the lower or end portion 14 of the double keyhole'sl'ot. If then they operator wishes to extinguish the light,

Ahe can merely push forward with-his thumb onl housing 15 untilenlargement'Q snaps into the enlarged portion 13 ofthe slot, therebyopeningrthe circuit at contact 6.

. But, fin addition to being able to flash the lamp as in signaling, andto burn thumb pressure device has the mechanism can thatinadvertentlighting ofthe lamp,

advantage that the switch be put in. such condition as 'when the lamp isbeing shipped 0r carried about, is in large measure,"avoided- To movethe switch mechanism to Ysafety/position, it is necessary. .todepress-the thumb vbutton"llthereliiy disengaging enlargement i Q3 fromopening 13 of the slot, and to push f the housing forward along the caseuntil the enlargement snaps into opening 11 of the slot. Batteryterminal 6 is so positioned with respect tothe key hole slot that whenenlargement' 23 is in opening 11,y

these conditions thumb-pressure on button 18 will not close thecircuitbecause stud 2l will not touch battery terminal 6. Furthermore,backward sliding movement of housing 15 isv prevented because of thelookingv engagement between enlargement 23. and

v opening 11. Therefore, to change the switch mechanism from this safetypositiontoone fin Vwhich the lamp can be lighted, it is necessary, firstto depress the push-button, and then to pull back on the housinguntil-enargement 23 snaps again into opening 13.

Although l"flat or vest pocket type, it will bevunderstood that Icontemplate such changesin it 'will `be beyond the-end of terminal 6.Under the embodiment illustrated in. .the drawing, and above described,is of the ingly movable with said springand housing, substantially asdescribed;

.2. In a battery hand lamp, the combination of a metal case havinglongitudinal slots therein, a housing mounted to slide in said slots, aleaf spring carriedby said housing and a bush-button contact mounted onsaid spring and movable along said Vcase with said spring and housing,substantially as described.

` 3. In a battery hand lamp, the combination of a battery case 'having akey hole slot, a housing mounted to slide longitudinally along saidcase, a leaf spring carried by said housing and a push-button Contactattached to said spring and'movable along Ysaid key hole slot,substantially as described. the lamp continuously without continuing onthe button, the present 4. In a battery hand lamp, the'combination ofa'battery case having a key hole slot, a battery therein having anexposed terminal, a housing mounted to slide longi-V tudinally alongsaid case, a leaf springr carried by said housing, and a push-buttoncontact mounted on said spring and having shoulderfor continuouslyengaging one end of said'key hole slotA when continuing,

connection with said battery terminal is desired. 'i

6. In a battery hand lamp, the combinationofa battery case havingadouble key hole slot, a battery within said case4 having an exposedterminal, a housingV mounted to slide vlongitudinally along sai'd case,a leaf spring connectedfatV oneend to said housing, .a push buttoncontact mounted on the other end of said springend having anenlargementengageable with either enlarged portion of thel double keyhole slot to prevent sliding movement of said housing. except when saidpush-buttonV contact v-is depressed.

f7. In a battery'haiid lamp, the: combination of a'battery case havingva double key. hole slot, a'battery thereinhaving an exposed terminal,la' housing mounted i' to slide longitudinally 'along said case, a leafspring 130 connected at one end to said housing, a push-button Contactfastened to the other end or' said spring, said push-button contacthaving an enlargement preventing sliding movement of said housing exceptwhen said push-button Contact is depressed, said enlargement beingadapted to underlie the lower end of said slot when Continuing contactwith the exposed battery terminal is desired.

S. In a battery hand lamp, the combination of a battery oase, a housingmounted to slide longitudinally thereof, a leaf-spring having one endriveted to said housing and a push button engaging the other end of saidspring, said push button being movable along said Case with said springand housing.

9. In a battery hand lamp, the combination of a battery case, a housingmounted to slide longitudinally thereof, a push button mounted in saidhousing and moving therewith, and a leaf-spring having one of its endsrigidly attached to said housing and its other end engaging said pushbutton, and means impeding free sliding movement of said housing andsaid spring along said case.

ln testimony whereof l aHiX my signature.

GEORGE D. GALLAGHER.

